COUNCILLOR PETER FLANNERY: MAYOR, MORETON BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Council is the closest level of Government to the community, 2022 has certainly reminded us of that. The continuing impacts of the pandemic, flood clean-up bill, soaring power prices, as well as rising fuel expenses and a 14% increase in the costs of goods and materials for Council have combined to create a perfect economic storm.

And Moreton Bay is not immune… But I’m proud to say that we have also never been better prepared for the challenges ahead. And we are ready to transform the Moreton Bay Region over the next two decades into a $40 billion economy.

We need to act now to preserve the identity, character and lifestyle of this place we all love.

As a Council we are planning for growth strategically. We are ensuring that we are getting the balance right, with a focus on Go Green – As We Grow. Meaning we will ensure that we maintain green corridors, and green space within our region, as well as maintain important wildlife habitat. In the past two years we have purchased 83 hectares of land through the Land Buy Back scheme that ensures wildlife habitat is restored, especially for species like koalas. With Moreton Bay’s human population set to increase by roughly 40% over the next 20 years we are ramping up our efforts to lock away key habitat for preservation now before it’s too late.

We are a large, diverse region with six established business precincts and 10 new growth areas designed for businesses of the future. One of which is Caboolture West which in the coming decades will be home to 70,000 people. Our region’s population is growing, but development cannot just occur on greenfield development sites. We are also appointing an Infill Housing Expert Panel to ensure we get the development mix right. We know that we need to do infill housing better to meet the needs of our growing population into the future, and we are looking to hear from experts on how we best achieve this.

Housing across Queensland is a critical issue as the State Government recently heard at the Housing Summit they held. Moreton Bay Regional Council is ensuring we are doing what we can to support community and social housing by reducing red tape for social and affordable housing in our region. Specifically, we will look to waive the application and infrastructure fees, as well as waive fees for council infrastructure charges for infill development that capitalises on existing infrastructure proximate to employment catchments.

For these reasons and more, I have led the call for Moreton Bay Regional Council to become a City Council. As one of the country’s fastest growing regions there is a lot of change that will happen whether we like it or not.

Becoming a city is one way to harness the change already occurring. Moreton Bay is creating a new kind of city, a city that celebrates its natural assets and offers unique, local places. By creating stronger ties between the existing community centres, through green corridors and transport connections, we can develop a new kind of city. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliberately evolve into a city that enriches its residents and protects the surrounding environment. Through city status we will have a bigger platform to advocate for State, Federal, and private sector investment.